This invention relates generally to semiconductor wafers and more particularly to semiconductor wafers of silicon, sapphire, and gallium arsenide, to a process for producing the same, and to an apparatus for producing the same.
Semiconductor wafers for use in the manufacture of integrated circuits (IC) sometimes become chipped at their edges during handling. For this reason, it is the common practice to subject such wafers to beveling machining. By this beveling processing, chipping of the edges of semiconductor wafers due to their collision with some other objects can be prevented.
However, since no grinding or polishing whatsoever of the beveled surface is carried out, dendrite crystals are formed thereon. These crystals themselves break or cause breakage of other objects which they happen to contact to produce so-called dust such as silicon particles. Needless to say, such dust particles give rise to trouble in the production of semiconductor devices.